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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29993592">Exit Strategy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/JBNimble/pseuds/JBNimble'>JBNimble</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The West Wing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Episode: s06e10 Faith Based Initiative, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:53:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,351</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29993592</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/JBNimble/pseuds/JBNimble</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Donna's gone and Santos refused to run. Josh needs to have a conversation with CJ.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Josh Lyman/Donna Moss, Minor or Background Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Exit Strategy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This AU takes the Left Turn At Albuquerque during/after Faith Based Initiative.</p><p>I am having trouble motivating myself to write the third story in my series, so when I had a flash of inspiration I went with it in the hopes of getting back in the habit.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h4>A West Wing fan fiction by JBNimble</h4><p>"Josh!"</p><p>"What the-" Josh half sat up as he shook off the cobwebs. </p><p>"Josh, when I walked into the building just moments ago, and Margaret informed me that you had left a message in the middle of the night requesting an early meeting, I didn't expect to find you sleeping on my couch! I thought I would at least have the opportunity to sit down before I <em>called your office</em> to say I already have a busy morning." CJ took a moment to look him up and down. "You know, if you changed your shirt, we could at least pretend you went home last night."</p><p>Josh took a moment, allowing his eyes to adjust. He could see CJ across the office, putting her bags down and organizing the files she needed for the morning. Taking a deep breath, he stood from the couch and walked to his boss's desk. He was trying for a professional demeanor, but could feel the corner of his mouth quirking up. Having made a decision, he'd been able to get a few hours of genuine rest and was feeling pretty good. </p><p>"CJ, it's time for you to pick your own deputy."</p><p>The Chief of Staff's only response was a raised eyebrow. </p><p>Josh stared back at her for a moment before he suddenly started searching through various pockets. With a flourish, he dropped a plain envelope on her desk. </p><p>"I'm done, and you need a deputy you can rely on and work closely with. We haven't-"</p><p>"Josh, if this is about China, you know I didn't have a choice."</p><p>"It is about China, but it's also about a bunch of other things."</p><p>"When I came to talk to you about China, you knew what I needed to say before I could say it. You said it had to be me, that I was the one in the room. Do you really think this is a good time, when the president-" </p><p>"Yeah, I knew what needed to happen then, and I know what needs to happen now. Look, this is not going to be a big deal, the press has been expecting this for a while. All my screw ups are front page news, and there have been plenty of them. I screwed up with the tobacco deal, I screwed up with Carrick, I screwed up with China. I've already been passed over for the obvious promotion. The press figures I'm being shown the door. It's so obvious to them, they don't even ask if it's the true anymore -- the questions I'm seeing these days are more about why I'm still here. And lately, I realized I don't have an answer."</p><p>He found himself pacing, and looked back to see CJ calmly sitting at her desk. </p><p>"Thank you for not arguing," he muttered. </p><p>"Well, we both know that's mostly bullshit, but you're not wrong about how your critics see it," she admitted. </p><p>Josh gave a nod before he continued. </p><p>"I know this is a tough time to do this, but all the more reason you need to name your own deputy. Leo pretty much took everything off my plate after Carrick. And yes, I got back in the game, but that was mostly because the President insisted, not because Leo wanted me back in. You know he didn't want my opinion on the peace talks. I wasn't his choice by that point, and you inherited the team, so I was never your choice. You need a deputy that you pick because you know them and can depend on how they're going to act, depend on them doing something the way you want it done. The only significant thing you've trusted me with is China and, in the end, you had to take that away from me. Right now, Carol would be a better Deputy than I am. Actually..." He stopped his pacing again.</p><p>"I didn't intend to recommend anyone, because the whole point is this should be your choice. But, you've been working well with Charlie, he could be a really good choice. He would need to learn more about working with the Hill and the cabinet, but if he worked closely with Legislative Affairs..."</p><p>"How about Donna? I'd bet she could step into the role right now." CJ wasn't smiling, but looked pretty satisfied with herself.</p><p>Her expression dropped as Josh laughed.</p><p>"Do you seriously find that funny? I just might call her, I think she could be exactly what I need in a deputy."</p><p>"Actually," he sat down, if only to keep from pacing again, "I think she would be a great choice, and she could probably do eighty-percent of my job from day one." His smile broadened. "What I find funny is that right before she left, she accused me of purposely holding her back. She would find it poetic that I literally had to leave the building for her to get her promotion." He looked out the window for a moment. "She just started a new job, but you should offer her the position. Even if she turns you down, she'd get a kick out of it."</p><p>"Didn't you?" Her expression showed no humor or satisfaction now.</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>"Didn't you hold her back? You could have given her more. You could have promoted her." </p><p>He was proud that he didn't rise to the bait, but again, things were easier now that he had made his decision. </p><p>"I did not hold her back, I held us back."</p><p>"What the hell does that mean?"</p><p>"I thought we made a good team. I kept hoping for an opportunity where we could move on as a team. Guess I should have clued her in on the plan, right?" He shrugged. "In the mean time, I gave her what I could. She had far more responsibility than anyone else at her pay grade." </p><p>She didn't immediately respond to that. Josh thought The former Press Secretary was being hypocritical. Given the fuss she made when Josh put Donna on the codel, it seemed odd that CJ was now criticizing him for not giving Donna more opportunity to grow, but he was not prepared to bring Gaza into the discussion so he stayed silent on that point. </p><p>The quiet dragged out some, but Josh knew he had dropped a bit of a bombshell on his boss first thing in the morning. CJ seemed to be processing the information, and Josh gave her time to do so.</p><p>She seemed less sure of herself when she restarted the conversation. </p><p>"So what? You're off to join her on the Russell campaign?"</p><p>"Bingo Bob?" He wanted to laugh, but wasn't there yet. "I argued against him for VP, what makes you think I would help elect him President?"</p><p>"Hey, you're the one talking about teaming up with Donna."</p><p>"I think that ship has sailed. She made it pretty clear she considers herself a free agent. And I would look pretty silly working for Bingo Bob if you managed to lure her back here." </p><p>"So... not Bingo Bob, then. You have another candidate in mind?"</p><p>"Eh, I had someone but oddly enough, when I pitched him a long-shot campaign with months of travel on a shoestring budget, he failed to jump at the chance."</p><p>"Hard to imagine." Her sarcasm was good natured, but subdued. "So nothing lined up at all?"</p><p>"Nothing specific yet. None of my current offers really interest me. There are a few gubernatorial races I'm keeping an eye on. I have a few scores to settle. Ritchie is running for a Senate seat, so maybe I'll go down there and find someone to run against him. Which would be more fun: beating him with someone that walks and talks like a Republican, but considers themselves a Democrat, or beating him with someone with no political background at all, but good character, common sense and name recognition?"</p><p>"That's kind of petty, isn't it?"</p><p>"Yes, yes it is. So maybe I have a plan after all."</p><p>"Well, good then. Now get out. I still have a busy morning."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I owe thanks to JOBrien42 for the inspiration, which came while re-reading A Different Path. </p><p>I have trouble seeing a realistic way forward for J/D after Gaza. It doesn't stop me from enjoying some great stories based in the last two seasons, but I doubt I could write one. So I do not have any plans to continue this, and if I do, it would probably veer way off the series.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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